Behind the Lens: Prasoon Pandey on Film Craft, AI, and the Art of Comedy
Prasoon Pandey, an acclaimed filmmaker and the president of the Cannes Lions 2024 Film Craft Jury, shares his unique insights and experiences.
The Film Craft Jury, renowned for its dedication to recognising excellence in film production and creativity, benefits greatly from Prasoon’s extensive expertise and innovative perspective.
Prasoon caught up with LBB’s Tom Loudon to discuss how his theatre background has shaped his filmmaking approach, the anticipated impact of AI on the film industry, and the critical role of comedy in storytelling.
LBB> Your journey from a theatre director to an acclaimed advertising film director is fascinating. Could you share some insights into how your theatre background has influenced your filmmaking approach?
Prasoon> Theatre and film are both collaborative art forms. In both, one gets to work with great creative minds, and the backstage talent is as important as the talent on stage. I think it is in theatre that I learned to respect the craft of each and everyone involved.
That grounding certainly helps me now in cultivating an environment where each artist is able to contribute to my films far beyond my imagination. Theatre is also where one learns to respect the audience’s intelligence and be aware of what they could be thinking at every point of their storytelling. One also learns to improvise on the spot, and that empowers one to be brave and listen to one’s intuition. My time in theatre made me brave enough to change things at the last second if I felt something else would make the story work better.
LBB> The last 12 months have seen an AI explosion. How do you expect AI to impact the Film category at Cannes in 2024?
Prasoon> AI is a super tool for some craft categories, but not so much for ideas and scripts. That’s because it is not really “intelligent”. Its correct descriptor should have been “Artificial Diligence” because it can do all the “tonnage” work at lightning speed.
But when it comes to ideas, it can learn only from that which has been published before. It cannot be learned from personal observation or from life experiences. When we are racking our brains for a great idea, we definitely want it to be something that no one ever thought of, which basically means we do not want to lean on anything that’s been done before.
AI is a phenomenal game changer, but only like the PC was when it first came in. Imagine if instead of the sensational name “Artificial Intelligence,” someone had decided to name the PC an “Enhanced Brain” – EB. Creatives would have been equally rattled by its entry.
LBB> How do you think comedy could be better leveraged, particularly in film?
Prasoon> I have always felt that for any storyteller, comedy is the most unforgiving genre of all. If I were to narrate a sentimental story to you, and if you are not moved by it at all, for some fortunate reason, it may reflect on your insensitivity rather than my storytelling.
But if I narrate a funny story to you and you do not laugh, for some rather strange reason, it begins to reflect only on my very dubious sense of humour. So one needs to be very careful in choosing the best suited genre of comedy to deliver any script. Some scripts are best delivered with a poker face, others work better if delivered as a loud comedy and so on. That choice is the most critical one, but that is also the most exciting part of working on a comedy film.
LBB> What inspired you to transition from a creative director to directing your own scripts, and how did that experience shape your career?
Prasoon> To be honest, I just got very lucky. As a creative director, all the film directors I worked with kept telling me that I was under-utilising my talent at an agency and that I should step out and start directing.
The problem was that my agency was looking after me rather well by any standards. That’s when the first bit of luck came my way in the form of a book gifted to me by my father-in-law.
The book was “The Age of Unreason” by Charles Handy. A critical thought in it was that comfort is the biggest dampener for creativity. It douses any fire even before it can ignite. I realised then and there that I had to get out of my comfort zone. Just then came the second bit of luck- I happened to be enacting and presenting a script to a client. At the end of that presentation, out of the blue, the CEO said, “I doubt if anyone else can do a better job of this script than what I just saw, why don’t you direct it yourself?”. As you can see, it was a windfall. All that I did was say, “if you insist”.
LBB> How much of an impact can winning an award at Cannes have on a person’s career?
Prasoon> Awards always feel great because it is a reassuring pat on your back from your peers, and that is truly priceless. But I try not to get distracted by awards. My films must touch the hearts of the audience that they have been made for. While travelling, when one is at an airport and some security guy gets into a conversation with you and inadvertently starts telling you about all the ads he loves, and you quietly know that they are yours, that is the biggest reward. That is proof that you reached your audience in the way you wanted.
LBB> Looking ahead, what are your goals or aspirations for the future of your career, and are there any particular projects or genres you're excited to explore next?
Prasoon> I have never really looked at filmmaking as a career. I am just passionate about it and about the art of storytelling. That filmmaking happens to also make money for me is a very happy and much-appreciated coincidence. But I am as nervous before each shoot today as I was before my first film, and thank God for that. As we look at crossword puzzles, I do not want to know the answer before attempting the problem. I just want to have the confidence to crack whatever it is.
LBB> What are the current big debates in the Film category—or more generally across the industry—that you expect to see in the jury room?
Prasoon> Well, we are all just about beginning to see the entries now, so it may be too early for any debates to happen. But my jury mates and I had a really enriching discussion on the dilemma of looking at film craft in parts when we know that great craft does not try to shine above the idea.
LBB> Outside of the jury room, what are you really looking forward to learning or doing at this year’s Cannes Lions?
Prasoon> The jury room is always so tedious that, honestly, there is no “outside the jury room” for us. By the end of each day, you are so mentally drained that you head straight to your bed and get up in time for the jury room the next day. But I do look forward to catching up with old friends from across the world, exchanging ideas and enjoying a drink together.
